Math is the one subject that brings cold-sweats among most students. Math is one subject that every student, no matter how smart he or she is, dreads. The main reason for this is that unlike other subjects where students can mug-up the facts or use their own creativity to score grades, math is very black and white. You will have to know math to score in math.
Practice is also extremely important for the students, as there is no way to learn math.
Many children hate practicing math because it ties them with their books and paper. But there is a solution to this problem is easily available. A great way to make your child practice math is by giving him a math puzzle.
A math puzzle will help your child in concentrating on the subject. There are numerous math puzzles available in the market which may help your child in strengthening his or her math skills. You can buy a math puzzle from your local book or toy store. Many such puzzles are also available on the internet. You can download most of them for free but some may cost you a little.
Most of the math puzzles are computer games which the child can play on his computer and learn. But there are also many real puzzles which teach your kids math. Such a math puzzle lets you interact with your child and help him learn math with the help of Show-cards and specially designed board games.
But the most popular math puzzles are no doubt, the virtual ones. These games attract kids the most as they combine studying with one of their favorite activity which is playing video games. You can buy a math puzzle which will attract your child in order to get him hooked to it. Some math puzzles even include cartoon characters. Some are in the form of a combat or arcade game style. Such games attract children especially.
The best thing about learning math with the help of a math puzzle is that it gives the child an instant gratitude. While studying math with conventional methods, the child has to wait till an exam or test to get any reward for his hard work. Many children especially who are weaker in studies are not able to keep their interest alive for such a long period. But a math puzzle gives him points or praise instantly. Hence the child's mind gets encouraged and motivated to do well and improve himself.
But while buying a math puzzle for your child, you will have to remember one thing. You should never force the math puzzle on your child. The whole point of buying a math puzzle is to teach your kid to have fun with the subject. If you force him to play the puzzle then he will start taking it as a burden would not enjoy it. Another important point is that you should not expect an overnight miracle. Your child will improve with his own pace. Don't expect him to become a math genius instantly.
According to many surveys, math remains one of the most important yet frightening subjects for students in the US. In fact, many students in the US don't even know what math courses they should study to get into a college. No wonder their performance is severely sub par at the college level. But your student CAN do well in college math classes by being well prepared. As a homeschooling parent, you want to choose the best for your students. But what does your student really need for college preparation? Which courses will give them the best education and set them off on the right path? You don't want to take too many courses, but you don't want to miss any critical ones either. So how do you decide?
Look around! There are 4 basic levels of math that a student will need in high school in order to do well at college: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II with Trig, and Calculus 1. Granted, not all students will make it to Calculus 1, and that's fine. The point here is that you know what subjects you need, then it becomes just a matter of finding the right curriculum to teach those subjects. In order to know what is important to look for in a good curriculum, you need to know your ultimate goal.
Start by Identifying the Target College
A lot of the decision-making about curriculums depends upon the college that you want to attend. Typically, each college will have their own set of requirements for incoming students. For example, MIT prefers a strong foundation in calculus. They want their applicants to have gone through at least one level of Calculus in high school before they arrive. Auburn University, however, expects a strong foundation in Algebra I and II with a secondary emphasis being placed on courses like calculus, geometry, statistic analysis, and trigonometry. Pomona College highly recommends students know calculus, just like MIT whereas, Harvard places its main emphasis on concrete understanding of functions, algebra, and graphing. They don't focus much on calculus like MIT and Pomona. So, basically, wherever you want to attend, find out about their applicant math requirements. Then make sure you're meeting those requirements.
Now, even though each college has their own course requirements, there are some general points that can be said for every homeschooling student:
• Calculus can be considered optional for most students.
• Taking Calculus 1 in high school allows the student to go into almost any freshman math class with the subject knowledge well in hand.
• Having studied through Calculus 1 in high school allows easier adjustment to the faster pace and stricter structure of college without getting overwhelmed by the course material.
• Algebra 1 & 2, Trigonometry, and Geometry are the minimum courses required to do well at college.
Meet the college requirements by focusing on understanding
You can check off any math course you "completed" but if your student doesn't understand, the effort was rather worthless. For this reason, we encourage you to take the time to figure out what makes your student's mind tick. Study math in a way that makes sense for them personally. If they work better outside, then take class outside. If you're worried about your math experience and think you'll need help---seek help. There are many great step by step math courses and DVD courses out there to choose from. Shop around, and get your student's input. Choose the course that both of you like and are excited to learn from.